Ryan B. Patrick

Although based in Toronto, one can to say that the music of Aline Morales is from another world. A bit hyperbolic, yes, but by drawing from the musical sounds and verve from her native Brazil — filtered through the Canadian immigrant experience — singer/percussionist/composer Morales has crafted a sound that […]

In the second part of my interview with celebrated sci-fi/fantasy author Nalo Hopkinson (find part one of the interview here) we talked at length about the creative process around her latest novel, the Toronto-based fantasy bildungsroman Sister Mine. We also discuss the merits of writers having a social media platform, the […]

A writer writes. Award winning Canadian writer and novelist Nalo Hopkinson has proven that and more. The popular science fiction/fantasy novelist (Brown Girl in the Ring, The Salt Roads) has recently struggled through bouts of debilitating physical illness and a period of being homeless to re-emerge with an even stronger […]

“I was just calling KFC to check and see how much 25 pieces of chicken cost,” says ReelWorld Film Festival programmer Bobby Del Rio when I ask him what he’s up to. A Canadian creative himself, actor/playwright/director Bobby Del Rio knows exactly what independent filmmakers go through. Del Rio presently […]

Two decades in, spoken word artist Dwayne Morgan has been proving that it is possible to make a comfortable living as an independent artist. Arguably the individual who revitalized the contemporary spoken word or dub poetry scene in Canada, Morgan, this year, celebrates his 20th anniversary of promoting positivity in […]

Toronto-based DJ/producer/rapper More or Les is on his grind. As an independent musician, More or Les (born Les Seaforth) is all about managing that balance between the artistic and commercial sides in making it in the Canadian music scene. With his recently released full-length album Mastication — a “healthy […]

There’s no harder worker in the Canadian urban music scene than Duane Gibson aka D.O. (Defy the Odds). With the life credo of “Stay Driven” the Sarnia-raised, Toronto-based artist is an accomplished rapper (Guinness world record holder for longest freestyle), author and professional speaker who has managed to carve out a busy career […]

As an artist specializing in figurative and portrait painting and sculpture, it’s all about the soul for freelance artist Sara Golish. The Ontario College of Art & Design graduate (and self-described chocolate-loving, tree hugging, vegetarian health freak) is an emerging presence on the Canadian arts scene. Drawing from a multitude […]